Twinning Workshop on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February 2019

Regional Policy Alignment:

Model Energy & Refrigerant Regulations
for Refrigerators and ACs

Brian Holuj & Marco Duran UN Environment – U4E

Nihar Shah & Won Young Park Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Alex Hillbrand Natural Resources Defense Council

Organised by Funded by
Agenda
• Overview of refrigerators and air conditioners
• Overview of MEPS and Labels
• Status of policies in the region
• Benefits of Regional Policy Alignment /
Collaboration
• Opportunity to leverage U4E’s Model
Regulations

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
What appliances are we discussing?
Air Conditioners Refrigerators

(window, room, through-the-wall, portable)

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Why regulate air conditioners &
refrigerators?
Adoption is growing rapidly, greatly increasing impact on energy grids,
climate, and more.

1.6B 5.2B ACs

TWh ACs
All Developing
Countries

Source: U4E (2017). Refrigerators Policy Guide Source: IEA (2018). The Future of Cooling

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Energy efficiency and refrigerant GWP
Energy efficiency: amount of cooling an AC or refrigerator provides for a given amount of
electricity it uses. Emissions from generating the electricity emit pollution and GHGs.
Refrigerants: gases inside ACs and refrigerators that allow them to cool. When emitted
(leaks, vented at the end of product life), many deplete the ozone and warm the planet

Energy Efficiency + Refrigerants = Climate Impact

Why regulate together?

• Aligned timing of regulations lowers industry costs.
• Refrigerant choice affects energy efficiency and vice versa.
• Balanced requirements on each can reduce climate impact
most cost effectively
• Consumer awareness of energy efficiency can be used to
build refrigerant awareness.
And more….
Can we do it?

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Good AC energy efficiency is not expensive

Manufacturing costs
and retail prices do not
necessarily increase
between low energy
efficiency (APF 2.7)
and good energy
efficiency (APF 3.5)

Many efficient
products are already
available (see green
squares)

Source: LBNL Analysis

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Lower-GWP refrigerants are available, too.
Air conditioning:
~55 million units use R-32 (GWP 677) as of June 2018*

Godrej has sold 600,000 with R-290 (GWP 3) in India & SE Asia as of Sept
2018**

Refrigerators:
500 million units use R-600a (GWP 3) as a refrigerant as of Sept 2015 –
flammability issues have been fully addressed***
Regulations limiting refrigerant GWP in new products ensure the market
transitions to better alternatives without unnecessary delay

* https://www.daikin.com/csr/information/influence/hfc32.html
** http://hydrocarbons21.com/articles/8543/sales_of_r290_rac_units_hits_600_000_says_godrej
*** UNEP Report of the Technology & Economic Assessment Panel (September 2015)

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
MEPS & High Performance Product Labels

Incentives, recognition and/ or

Energy Efficiency of Products in the Market

other support for top products

MEPS should ban all used imports

and inefficient / high-GWP new
products

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
MEPS & labelling policies unlock multiple
benefits increasing over time

• Reduce stress on electric

grid – don’t build as much
new capacity; reduce
outages (particularly during
heat waves)
• Extremely cost effective –
reduces electric bills
• Improve air quality
• Help meet CO2 savings
targets

Source: United for Efficiency (2017), Accelerating the Global Adoption of Energy Efficient and Climate Friendly Household
Refrigerators

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Sources: AHAM, Rosenfeld (1999), LBNL, and Bureau of Labor Statistics

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Status of MEPS & Labels in the Region:
Refrigeration

Mandatory New Development

Voluntary /
Unknown No Data Found

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Status of MEPS & Labels in the Region: Air
Conditioning

Mandatory New Development

Voluntary /
Unknown No Data Found

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
U4E Model Regulations – How They Work
Approach:
 Allow only efficient, lower-GWP products
 Encourage higher performing products through labelling
 Vary requirements to capture climatic differences
 Incorporate proven best practices and standards
Benefits:
 Simplify adoption and implementation of a robust regulation
 Catalyze product innovation, giving consumers more choice
 Harmonize requirements to reduce trade barriers and unlock
economies of scale to make products more affordable
 Enable more effective market enforcement using proven test
procedures and an easier exchange of compliance info

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Climate Classes – Capturing Regional Temperature
Differences

Air Conditioners (including heat pumps)

Varying requirements by climate
classes helps countries get
products suited to local
conditions, and unlocks
economies of scale as fewer
models are needed to meet
regulations

Refrigerators

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Test and Energy Performance Evaluation Methods

Refrigerators Air Conditioners

Category • Refrigerators • Air conditioners, Heat pumps
• Refrigerator-Freezers (reversible)
• Freezers • Fixed-speed, variable-speed

Reference • IEC 62552:2015 (Part 1, 2, and 3) • ISO 16358: 2013 (Part 1, 2, and 3)
Standards
• ISO 5151:2017
Key parameters • Volume adjusted by compartment • Performance measured at 35°C (and
• Manual/automatic defrost 46°C for extremely hot-dry regions)
• Energy consumption measured at • Outdoor temperature bin hours by
16°C and 32°C climate classes (per ASHRAE
definitions)
Efficiency • Annual Energy Consumption • Cooling Seasonal Performance
metric
(kWh/year) for 25°C (or another Factor (CSPF, Wh/Wh) for cooling-
reference temperature) only units
• Annual Performance Factor (APF,
Wh/Wh) for reversible heat pumps
Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Energy Performance Requirements
Refrigerators Air Conditioners

• Energy use requirements comparable with • Fixed-speed requirements are more stringent
current requirements in India and EU A+. than MEPS in Brazil, China, India, and Mexico.
• In 2015, nearly all products in the EU were • Variable-speed requirements are comparable to
qualified as A+ or higher. current 3 & 4-Star in India

Model Regulations

Banned in the EU

Inefficient products can’t meet these levels, and there are stretch tiers for labels.

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Refrigerant & Foam Blowing Agent Requirements
• Requirements for ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global
warming potential (GWP) over a 100-year time horizon
• Refrigerant designation (ISO 817), Safety requirements (IEC 60335-
2-24; -40)
Refrigerators Air Conditioners

• 750 (Split system)

GWP 20 • 150 (Self-contained
system)

ODP 0 0

ODP: Per Handbook for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Seventh Edition, annexes A, B, C and E.
GWP: Per Climate Change 1995, The Science of Climate Change: Summary for Policymakers and Technical Summary of the Working Group I
Report, page 22.

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Functional Performance Requirements

Refrigerators Air Conditioners

Voltage & • Tested at a test AC voltage and • Tested at a test AC voltage and
Frequency frequency, as described in IEC frequency, as described in ISO 5151
62552-1.
Voltage • All units shall operate appropriately with the rated voltage with surge
Tolerance protection +/- 15%.
Other • The temperature inside the fresh
food compartment and freezer
compartment of the refrigerating
appliance shall be adjustable to
+4°C and -18°C, respectively, as
described IEC 62552-3.

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Product Information Requirements
Shall indicate:
 Model name / number
 Country where the product was manufactured
 Volume of different compartments and indication of whether they
are frost-free [refrigerators only]
 Rated performance grade
 Yearly energy consumption in kWh
 Refrigerant and foam-blowing agent [refrigerators only] designation
per ISO 817 or ASHRAE 34, including ODP and GWP

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Compliance, Surveillance, & Conformity
Government is responsible for checking compliance and surveilling the market.

Manufacturers barred from selling non-compliant models; enforcement actions if

not rectified*

Manufacturers / importers submit Conformity Assessment Reports (CARs) for

review prior to making the product available for sale.

CARs are valid for 24 months. Updated CARs must be submitted 90 days prior to
expiration.

Regulations enter into force within 1-2 years of beginning the adoption procedure
(~2021).

Requirements should be strengthened after 5 years, based on updated market

assessment.

* More details may be found in the 2017 U4E Policy Guides

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Discussion
Contents:
• Include several examples of label designs?
• Does this meet your country’s needs?
• Other suggestions?

Collaboration:
• Who may be interested in providing input on the drafts?
• Would your government potentially be interested in exploring
adoption of such model regulations?
• What is the biggest challenge that you face with getting involved?

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
 Contact
T R A N S F O R M I N G M A R K E T S T O E N E R G Y- E F F I C I E N T P R O D U C T S

Brian Holuj +33 1 44 37 42 60 brian.holuj@un.org U4E Cooling Coordinator

Energy Policy Research
Nihar Shah +1 510 295 8739 nkshah@lbl.gov
Scientist
Scientific Engineering
Won Young Park +1 510 495 2252 wypark@lbl.gov
Associate
Director for EE
Noah Horowitz +1 415 875 6100 nhorowitz@nrdc.org Standards, Energy &
Transportation
Energy Efficiency and
Alex Hillbrand +1 202 289 2413 ahillbrand@nrdc.org
Climate Advocate
Harmonization matters!
Harmonizing MEPS, refrigerant requirements and labels regionally:
• Simplifies adoption
• Governments can rely on common requirements, test methods,
labeling, shared verification procedures, and lower trade barriers
• Creates market uniformity
• Manufacturers can limit the number of models they design and
sell, saving costs
• Lowers consumer cost
• Economies of scale lower costs for consumers
• Greater market uniformity allows higher energy efficiency, saving
costs

A win-win-win for governments, industry, and consumers

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February
Product Labelling impact
800

USA HEM '08

Unit Energy Consumption (declared kW h/year)

USA MEPS '00

700 ENERGY STAR '00
ENERGY STAR '04
ENERGY STAR '08

600

500

400

300

200
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
Total normalised adjusted volume (litres)
Source: Presentation by Emily McQualter of IEA at BangkokTwinning Workshop (2018).

Twinning Workshop 2019 on Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Refrigeration and Air Conditioning • Paris, France • 21-22 February